Muhammad Ali Bukhari, CNMNG News

Toronto, March 26: Today is the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence. Naturally, this day is an emotional day in the heart of every person in Bangladesh who believes in independence. On the one hand the memory of great self-sacrifice and on the other the glorious achievement of moving forward with firm steps. That is why this year the government of Bangladesh is going to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of its architect Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with pomp and circumstance. The country is celebrating the 10-day-long ‘Golden Jubilee’, which also marks Bangabandhu’s birthday. For this purpose, in addition to China, a regionally influential neighbour, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau has sent a special video message.

But above all, the immense sacrifice of the nation in the independence of Bangladesh is not to be forgotten; it is readable in the interest of history to the new generation of the world. When Pakistan and India emerged from the British rule in the Pak-Indian subcontinent in 1947, today’s Bangladesh was considered as one of the two parts of Pakistan, namely East Pakistan. They demanded more autonomy from the ruling group in West Pakistan because of economic inequality. But the Pakistani military junta ignored the demands of the people of Bangladesh with the help of the United States and the majority of elected representatives suppose to draft the constitution and forming the government fell in to the brutal genocide on March 25, 1971. This marked the beginning of the country’s war of independence on the call of Bangabandhu, the leader of the majority leadership in East Pakistan. Besides, India officially took part in the war of independence. Less than two weeks after the start of the official war, on 16 December 1971, the Pakistani army surrendered and Bangladesh declared its victory.

The achievements of Bangladesh in the 50 years since then are really commendable. Now the economic success of that Bangladesh is well known in the world. This ladder of success has been written since the eighties. However, in the last 10 years, Bangladesh’s exports have increased by 80 percent in dollar terms. Even in October last year, the International Monetary Fund showed that in 2020, Bangladesh’s domestic per capita GDP was higher than India’s. Garment exports are the main driving force of this progress. In this, its footsteps are awakened not only in regional but also in global geopolitics. The UN Economic Development Committee has also reported Bangladesh’s transition from a least developed country.

Yet the allegation of authoritarianism is associated with this economic prosperity of Bangladesh, as has happened since independence in the form of the so-called ‘bottomless basket’. Now the criticism is that the daughter of Bangabandhu, the architect of Bangladesh’s independence, and the Prime Minister of the ruling government, Sheikh Hasina, is running the country dictatorially instead of democratically. The two general elections held in 2014 and 2016 have also been accused of being neutral and transparent. In addition, allegations of corruption, money laundering and political harassment have been leveled against those in power, including detention and harassment without trial under the Digital Security Act.

As a result, Bangladesh’s economic success in 50 years has been as enviable as the inequality between rich and poor has become a challenge. It is really important for the successful development of democracy. In the overall sense, that is why the government and the nation need to understand that.